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Post by nikkibluejeans on Mar 23, 2006 21:38:23 GMT -5
Okay, Johnny - if you ever need a break from reviewing new releases, why not take a journey back in time?
You and I (and I'm betting a lot of your ever-growing fanbase) grew up in the era of cable tv, HBO and VCRs... Have you ever watched a movie that you were obsessed with growing up - that completely lost its charm when you saw it as an adult? Or, that was even better than you remembered it? Why not share those experiences? Revisit some of our favorite (and sometimes obscure) childhood movies with an adult perpective.
Perhaps a split "Then" and "Now" review, or "Little Johnny" and "Big Johnny" perspectives, if you will. What jokes were we too young to get back then? How many lines do we still remember after all these years?
Sure, we all loved "WarGames" and "Labyrinth" and "The Neverending Story" when we were 7, but did they stand the test of time? Should we run out and buy the DVD to show our future children someday, or should we pretend it never existed - and that we were never enamored by its cheesy special effects and/or unrealistic plotline?
Some reviews I would be curious to read, in addition to those above (and help me out with more, people):
The Princess Bride Spacecamp Project X Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (didn't this one actually get better with time?) Cloak & Dagger Overboard Howard the Duck Batteries Not Included Three Amigos ("It's a sweater!") Little Shop of Horrors Ladyhawke Mannequin The Boy Who Could Fly Gremlins The Goonies (let's be honest, it's worth it just for the Josh Brolin factor!)
I have my thoughts, as you can see - and some of these would seem to have obvious outcomes - but let's hear what the great Johnny Betts thinks! Whaddya say?
-Nikki
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Post by MsCali on Mar 23, 2006 22:39:07 GMT -5
Would you like to play. a. game?
Hmmm...I saw Labyrinth for the first time a couple years ago, and I have no idea why Mr. C claims it is one of his favorite movies. I think it's one you have to have seen as a child to appreciate (same as Ladyhawke I think, 'cause I hated that one too).
Hmmm...I like a lot of your list, and will use some of them as I make my own: The Princess Bride - I was a bit older the first time I saw this, and it still has it's charm (actually, I like it better now! LOL). I'd love to see someone who was obsessed with this as a child and/or now review it *coughrhiannoncough* Spacecamp - Awwww...Spacecamp! Hmmm...I might need to see that again. Batteries Not Included Little Shop of Horrors The Boy Who Could Fly The Goonies (let's be honest, it's worth it just for the Josh Brolin factor!) (let's be honest...it's STILL a good movie! Goonies never say...whatever it was that Goonies never said. It's been a while since I've seen it. I forget). Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken (I believe I still own this one) The Three Musketeers (the Chris O'Donnell version) Any Muppets Movie (I own Muppets Take Manhattan, so I'll volunteer for that one!) Short Circuit Freaky Friday (The Jody Foster version) The Parent Trap (the original) Pollyanna The Karate Kid The Karate Kid 2 ('cause that one was my favorite) The Ewoks Movies (KIDDING! I think I was the only one who EVER liked them...hee hee) Milo & Otis The Benji movies The Journey of Natty Gann A Far Off Place (early Reese Witherspoon) The Bear (I HATED this movie as a child) White Fang Babes in Toyland
I'm sure there are several more - these were just ones I either loved or hated or actually remember from my childhood:)
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Post by The Movie Mark on Mar 23, 2006 23:28:37 GMT -5
Very good idea, Nikki. I knew you were a smart gal - fondness for Jimmy, a keen eye for greatness, etc. My list will include plenty of Steven Seagal and Jean Claude Van Damme movies. After all, at one time I thought they were "awesome."
I like the idea of the "little Johnny" and "big Johnny" perspectives. I'm thinking "big Johnny" wouldn't be quite as enamored with Johnny B. Goode and License to Drive as "little Johnny" was.
I still can't believe I paid to see movies like Howard the Duck and Mannequin at the theater. And Three Amigos was one of my favorite movies in elementary school. I probably haven't seen it in 10-15 years! Even I am curious what my opinion would be of it these days.
The Goonies (Goonies never say die, Ms. Cali!) is a really fun DVD thanks to the cast commentary. Josh is great, and Corey Feldman is an attention-starved tool.
What other suggestions do folks have? I'll probably include some Mel Brooks movies on the list (though I'm hoping they still stand the test of time). Any suggestions for a title? Retro Reviews, maybe?
Keep the ideas coming!
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Post by nikkibluejeans on Mar 23, 2006 23:40:27 GMT -5
MsCali - You're my hero. SO much of what you listed is SO right. Goonies never say "die." I caught it on the big screen recently on a retro night. As a kid, "Captain Chunk" annoyed the "Rocky...Road?" out of me, but seeing the movie as an adult, he was the funniest thing about it. LOVE Karate Kid Part II! LOVE Wild Hearts... "On the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, life can be peaches n' cream..." LOVE the original Parent Trap, Pollyanna, most classic Disney movies - The Ugly Dachshund, Thomasina, Old Yeller, etc. LOVE all of those other animal movies you listed, too. The Muppets get funnier as time goes on - "Manhattan" is my favorite, but the "Great Muppet Caper" is classic, too. How 'bout: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (love the human dolls part!) Ghostbusters (to me, it's even funnier now) Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Who's That Girl? (Still have a residual crush on Griffin Dunne) Dutch Legend (never loved it - Tim Curry was too creepy, and the goblins were much cuter in "Labyrinth".) Ferris Bueller's Day Off (always a classic) ...And the mother of all inappropriate movies that EVERY kid of our generation saw: "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom." Bugs, monkey brains, human sacrifice, hearts removed with bare hands... good times. (Man - I could go on and on... Didn't I ever play outside as a child?!? )
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Post by nikkibluejeans on Mar 23, 2006 23:50:59 GMT -5
I'll probably include some Mel Brooks movies on the list (though I'm hoping they still stand the test of time). One of my guilty pleasures is Robin Hood: Men in Tights. I know, I know. It's silly and corny, but I love it. Blinkin is the man.
...And (I almost feel guilty for admitting this) I actually watched - and loved - "Spaceballs" before I ever saw the "Star Wars" movies, or any of the other movies they referenced in it. I'd probably get more of the jokes now, huh?
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Post by Rhiannon on Mar 24, 2006 9:15:26 GMT -5
You see, I think that applies to The Princess Bride. People either saw it as a child and love it, or they were introduced to it by someone that saw it as a child, and don't understand what all the excitement is all about. I could easily review it as an adult, but I'll tell you that my opinion has never changed of that movie. It has held up to the test of time for me. I mean, I haven't watched it in about a month, but I'm still pretty sure its a winner.
But if you are sitting there going "Wha?" thats because you weren't introduced to it as a child. And you suck, BTW.
SPACECAMP! I had forgotten all about that movie.
Pee Wee's big Adventure. Didn't that turn into a drinking game or something? I know my roomate has a copy of it, I could definitely watch it sometime, but, well, I don't know what I thought of it as a kid!
as a kid I was obsessed with Annie and Mary Poppins. I havent watched either of those in a very long time, mostly because I dont want to kill the magic.
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Post by Laslo Hollyfeld on Mar 24, 2006 10:01:22 GMT -5
Project X: Matthew Broderick + Helen Hunt + monkeys = crazy delicious.
Ladyhawke: I think this would have stood the test of time better if it had a tradtional orchestral soundtrack instead of the cheesy synth-fest it used.
Wargames: While the computer technology is way out of date, I think this is still a better commentary on the threat of nuclear war than Terminator 3.
Mannequin: I had such a crush on Kim Cattrall between this and Big Trouble in Little China. She didn't age very well, though.
The Goonies: It's nice that Sloth got work in Return of the King.
The Neverending Story: I used to think the theme song was so cool. *shudders*
Cloak and Dagger: As much as I liked this movie, I never really bought Dabney Coleman as an action hero. Not when Stallone was doing Rambo at the same time...
And what about these forgotten gems?
The Last Dragon: Bruce LeeRoy versus the Shogun of Harlem...does it get any better?
The Last Starfighter: I saw this as a science fiction double feature with Starman one Saturday afternoon. I loved it so much, I went back and saw it five more times. It was on the other day, and I just shook my head slowly. I won't even comment on Starman.
Krull: The scene with the giant spider freaked me out when I was younger, but overall, it was pretty cool then.
Short Circuit: Is it wrong that I was rooting for Ally Sheedy to get together with the robot instead of Steve Gutenberg?
Johnny Dangerously: Okay, so I was young enough that I didn't really get a lot of the sex jokes, and maybe that was a good thing then. I really just liked it because Wierd Al Yankovic did the theme song.
Big Trouble in Little China: I still love this movie, even though my wife thinks it is stupid. I own the two disc collector's DVD edition, and I love all the bonus stuff. I know it's basically Kurt Russell doing a bad John Wayne impression for 90 minutes, but I don't care.
Ah, the memories.
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Post by AustralianAnn on Mar 24, 2006 21:55:58 GMT -5
I like Big Trouble too..but not as much as Warriors, The!
Two days ago, I saw a car spraypainted with The Warriors logo. This movie has not lost its charm. It's great stuff!
I have seen pretty much all of these movies you mentioned. The soundtracks are horrifyingly great! Add 'A Night on the Town' to the list.
Let's not forget to add the most searing political commentary on race that is C Thomas Howell as Soul Man.
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Post by MsCali on Mar 25, 2006 7:23:56 GMT -5
Hear that Johnny? I'M the hero now! It usually is. I thought that's what it was, but I couldn't remember for sure. I love most of the classic Disney movies too - Muppets Take Manhattan is probably my favorite Muppet movie, just because my friend keeps singing the "Frog & Piggy" wedding song to me. I think Mr. Cali and I are going to have to make that our recessional song (since I can't find anything else...it's come down to either that or the Imperial March) Hmmmm...the only movies I've seen in that list are Willy Wonka (we actually talked about that one not too long ago, when the new one came out. I still love the original. There's a skirt pattern in a new crochet book that just came out that is called the "Violet Beauregard". I hate purple, so I figure I will make it in different colors and call it the "Veruca Salt", because everyone knows she was better anyway!), and Ferris Beuller's Day Off (which I only saw within the past year, actually). My mom was pretty strict when I was growing up, so I didn't see a lot of things until more recently). I did see Ghostbusters when I was 5, and it scared the crap out of me! (Which is funny, because Gremlins, which is every bit as "scary" as Ghostbusters did not). Ooooh, another one my mom wouldn't let me watch. I actually have never seen the entire thing - it's the one IJ movie I don't care for. I'm am SO excited about them doing a 4th movie though! Okay, now replies to Rheeeeee: Well, I was still technically a child when I saw this for the first time, but I was probably around 13 or 14, and I HATED it the very first time...I like it MUCH better now:) Although, if it's been a whole month since you've seen it, you probably will hate it now. I hear that is the exact age at which the movie becomes bad to most people! :-P [qutoe] SPACECAMP! I had forgotten all about that movie. [/quote] I had forgotten that Joaquin Phoenix was in it until I was watching a child star special on A&E tonight...all the more reason to see it again! I saw part of Mary Poppins not too long ago, and I watch Annie pretty regularly (and listen to the soundtrack even more regularly...it's on a regular rotation with Rent and Chicago right now), and neither of them ever EVER lose their magic. They are like The Wizard of Oz...they'll always be great! Laslo, I was rooting for Aly Sheedy and the robot too! Yikes! Mr. Cali actually bought the DVD of Last Starfighter not too long ago, and has watched it at least once or twice. Oh, I thought of another movie for the list (although, one that I didn't see until college, it came out when I was quite young...and even in the 7 years since college it's lost something for me): Girls Just Want to Have Fun (hmmmm...would also have to include Dirty Dancing and Footloose in that list). Ann, there's a rumor going around that they are doing another Warriors movie. (I don't see anything about it on IMDB though...I'll have to ask the boy about it tomorrow. They did a video game not too long ago, so maybe the boy was just theorizing about it...hmmm....). Mr. C and our guy friends like to go around saying "Warriors! Come out and pla-aaaaay!" Sigh...I thought of another one, and it was brilliant! And now I can't remember it! That's what I get for staying up until 4:30 am (thanks to my stupid neighborhood loud people, who kept me awake when I went to bed...I ended up getting up to watch tv in the living room, and am STILL up! I'm not going to want to work tomorrow...)
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Post by nikkibluejeans on Mar 25, 2006 22:05:04 GMT -5
Like how I butter up the regulars???
Beetlejuice! That's another one... "Day-O!" And Innerspace! ...Lt. Tuck Pendleton (dreamy sigh), the Cowboy - so bizarre, and Mr. Igoe - so creepy. I loved Charlotte's Web, too.
Okay, let me see if I can catch up...
I have been a lifelong Pricess Bride fan. That one will always be good. (And come on - Christopher Guest as a bad guy? Way to break out of type-casting, Nigel!)
And, true PB fans - if you haven't read the book, run out and get it. It was written by the screenwriter, so it's a longer, funnier version of the movie. Same feel, and definitely worth a read.
Labyrinth - Was it wrong that as a child I found Jareth, a 40-year-old 70s glam rocker with big hair and tight tights, strangely appealing? ...Is it wrong that I still do? Eek.
License to drive. The Coreys. (in 1988 - Cool.) (in 2006 - Not so cool.) Enough said.
I loved "Annie" growing up. (We're talking about the 1982 version, right?) I'm a singer, and I think that seeing "Annie" at such a young age is what started it all. I listened to my soundtrack record so much that I knew where all the skips were, and sang them as if they were part of the songs. I went as Annie for Halloween once. Oh, yeah. I was so cool.
Big Trouble... I don't think I ever understood the plot to this movie... Why did they need to dress Kim Cattrall up in the Asian costume? Why did their eyes turn white? What was that creature in the back of Kurt Russell's truck? All I DO know is that the Electricity dude totally scared me. (And I still say that Rayden from Mortal Kombat is a tribute to him. Think about it...)
Muppets Take Manhattan: "He'll make me happy... each time I see him... he'll be the reason... my heart can sing" Gotta love Gil, Phil, and Jill. "Hmmmmmm...." And the Muppet Baby sequence was great.
Yes, Joaquin Phoenix, as "Leaf " Phoenix, in Spacecamp. Fun trivia: He was jealous that all of his siblings had nature-themed names (River, Rain, Summer), so he changed his to match. I still love "J.I.N.X." the best - "Max and J.I.N.X., friends for-ev-er..."
Temple of Doom: Ms Cali, my parents, too were very strict with my movie limitations, but as long as it was rated PG, it was okey-dokey. That one was, so it slipped under the radar. My folks never suspected the amount of carnage it contained. Gremlins and Temple of Doom inspired the PG-13 rating, you know. After that, I couldn't even watch "K-9" without my parents' permission...
Oh, and "Benji" was on tv today - I had to stop for a second and re-live my childhood. (Based on the part I saw, I'm not so sure this one would achieve "classic" status today. But I did still sympathize when the kidnappers kicked Benji's girlfriend... criminals in 1974 were so mean.)
Laslo - a.k.a. only Project X fan out there, apparently - I think the monkeys from P.X. appear in a CareerBuilder.com commercial. I swear I saw Bluebeard, Goliath, and Virgil at least...
I highly recommend an adult viewing of Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. If not for the movie within the movie at the end (Paul Reubens is brilliant, making Pee-Wee as the bellboy mouth the words along with James Brolin, and then stare at the camera), then merely to marvel at how dark and sinister it all is - and wonder how in the world it didn't give us nightmares as children. ...Although, maybe it did - I seem to remember "Large Marge" scaring the bejesus out of me.
That's it for me - talk amongst yourselves... Nikki
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Post by Laslo Hollyfeld on Mar 27, 2006 11:16:39 GMT -5
Big Trouble... I don't think I ever understood the plot to this movie... Why did they need to dress Kim Cattrall up in the Asian costume? Why did their eyes turn white? What was that creature in the back of Kurt Russell's truck?Okay, here's why: 2,000 year old Lo Pan was cursed with unnatural long life by the first soverign emperor of China until he could appease the God of the East by marrying a certain girl with green eyes. Kim Cattrall was one of those girls. Lo Pan planned to marry two green eyed girls, kill Kim, and live out his earthly lusts with the other one. Their eyes turned white as they fell under Lo Pan's spell. As for the monster, he was just some random monster from the dark underworld of Lo Pan's making. Basically an excuse for John Carpenter to make Kim Cattrall scream. I was acutally more of a Helen Hunt fan than a fan of the acutal movie. Again, she hasn't aged very well. If you lined up her, Kim Cattrall, and Ashley Judd, their collective wrinkles would resemble a relief map of Kashmir. Paging Mister Herman.... Mister Herman.... You have a telephone call at the front desk...
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Post by The Movie Mark on Mar 27, 2006 12:49:38 GMT -5
A couple of quick comments in an effort to regain my hero status that Ms. Cali is so arrogantly trying to steal away from me...
Spacecamp - This one was horrible as a kid, so I really don't see it improving with time.
The Last Dragon - I think this one came on every single Saturday afternoon at 1:00 PM for about five straight years. I loved it. I can't tell you how awesome I thought it was when Leroy caught the bullet in his teeth. And how often is the hero of a movie named "Leroy"?
Plus, it's got some great quotes:
"Now, when I say, 'Who's da mastah?' you say, 'Sho'nuff!'"
"I'm gonna slap that sucker silly for alienation of affection!"
"Move-a your feets-a to Daddy Green's Pizza!"
And, of course, Sho'nuff gave us the name "Bruce Leroy."
The Princess Bride - Loved it as a kid, going so far as to quote "My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, now prepare to die" WAY too much.
And this is a movie I've never seen in its entirety, but Stephanie says it should be added to the list: Madonna's Desperately Seeking Susan.
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Post by nikkibluejeans on Mar 27, 2006 14:27:06 GMT -5
Laslo, Thanks for the "Big Trouble..." skinny. Now I get it!
Your Pee-Wee quote cracked me up... "I don't need to see it, Dottie... I lived it." It's good stuff, people.
Hmmmm... your quick comments didn't really do it for me, Johnny... Come on - I loved "Spacecamp" as a kid! You hurt "Little Nikki" 's feelings on that one. But I'm sure you're right - it probably hasn't gotten better with time...
Actually, I'm about to rescind my original "hero" comment after MsCali's blatant defense of The Kid in the Young Riders thread... I'm fickle like that.
Besides, Johnny - you'll always be my hero for helping to further Josh Brolin's career (re: your 3/27 update)! We will always share a bond over Jimmy Hickok.
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Post by The Movie Mark on Mar 28, 2006 11:11:29 GMT -5
Actually, I'm about to rescind my original "hero" comment after MsCali's blatant defense of The Kid in the Young Riders thread... I'm fickle like that. Besides, Johnny - you'll always be my hero for helping to further Josh Brolin's career (re: your 3/27 update)! We will always share a bond over Jimmy Hickok. My apologies for hurting your feelings regarding Spacecamp, but I figured I'd regain hero status after Ms. Cali revealed her inexplicable preference of Kid over Jimmy. I've tried to tell her that some things should be kept to yourself, but she still insists on singing holier-than-thou boy's praises.
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Post by MsCali on Mar 28, 2006 14:19:06 GMT -5
Sometimes you just gotta step up and do the right thing. I love me some Josh Brolin, but I just don't like Jimmy Hickok, and I never will. But that just means all the Jimmyholics don't have to share him with me, so it's a good thing! So, Pee Wee's Big Adventure was on tv last night - Mr. Cali was all "Oh! This is the best part!" It was the scene in the bar where he "danced" to Tequila! I didn't get what was so funny about it. Then I turned the channel, so I have no idea what happens in the rest of the movie.
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